Apple of my eye, (Dead. Drank too much, and forgot my story)

>Be anon.

>Early evening at Sweet Apple Acres

>Another long, hard day of work has passed by you.

>As you finish moving your final buckets of apples to the barn, you step back outside to be greeted by the warmth of the setting sun, and the cool breeze that was blowing through the rows of apple trees.

>You take a deep breath, and stretch your back, proud of your hard work today. The smell of fresh dirt and grass was lingering in the air, thanks to the short rain fall that took place earlier that day.

>It's been about 3 months now since you've started working at Sweet Apple Acres.

>The work is easy enough, sorting through apples, helping round up the animals, and occasionally even baking.

>At first you were against the idea. The though of getting outside every morning at the crack of dawn, and working until the late night made you just want to stay inside even more.

>But now?

>Now you couldn't be any happier.

>As you were about to head home for the day, you realize you haven't seen Applejack for the past few hours.

>Actually, you hardly saw AJ at all, recently unless work called for it.

>For some reason every time you tied to talk to her, she would start stammering about how she had something important to do, and run off, avoiding eye contact.

"Shit, I hope I didn't do something to make her mad..."

>You ponder to yourself, thinking maybe she really was just busy.

>But even during the scheduled rain storm earlier that day, when you two would normally take cover in the empty barn, she was no where to been seen.

>That thought was enough to spark a bit of concern. As the sun set further and the moon began to come out, it got colder. The breeze quickly turning into a chill.

>Cider season WAS coming up, but there's no way AJ would have stayed out all this time, right?

>Suddenly a bitter though ran through your head.

>Or... was it because of you?

>You start remembering why you began working at Sweet Apple Acres in the first place.

>It was to be with her. You could give a shit less about the money, you just wanted to see her glowing face every day.

>All the hard work she devoted herself into day after day, she always did with a smile.

>Even after the most stressful, busy days, she always greeted you with a warm, loving smile. .

>She truly was the apple of your eye.

>If something was wrong between the two of you, it needed to be fixed. Now.

...

>Your mind was made up. You were going to find this girl even if it took you all night.

>You headed down the fields, into the thicker pack of the apple orchard grove where you last saw her wonder into.

>The trees were still damp, and the cold breeze almost seemed to linger around you.

"Was this area also so dense?"

>You wonder, barely able to see anything around you at this point.

>Well, anything but more apple trees, that is.

>trees....

>Shit, you're lost already.

>As a desperate attempt to find your lost friend, (and your own way out) you yell into the orchard.

"APPLEJACK, ARE Y-"

>You cut yourself off.

>Wait. Is that... crying?

>You quickly stop to listen, walking quietly towards where the noise was coming from.

>As you get closer to the source of the sound, you start to hear a familiar southern voice.

>"G-get yourself together, girl. This isn't like you." You hear the voice softly say in between light sobs

>Pushing your way through some branches, you find a small clearing where the moon was shining down on a small bundle of orange fur, slightly damp and matted.

>She was crying softly and sighing into her hoofs, still mumbling to herself.

>As you're about to call out to her, she suddenly gets up and starts to walks out of the clearing.

>"I-I should just tell 'em how I feel... My honest feelings!"

>And just as quickly as she got up, she plopped right back down in almost the very same spot, giving a sigh of defeat.

>"Gosh dang it, Ah can't do that!",

>She grabbed her hat and covered her now scarlet colored face, tears lightly flowing down her face again, shaking lightly.

>You take this moment to push through the opening, into the clearing.

"...Applejack? Is that... you?"

>The orange earth pony suddenly jerked her head up, tears lightly running down her face.

>"A-anon?"

 

 

>"How long have you...I-I mean... "

>AJ quickly turned her head away and wiped her tears off with her forehoof, sniffing back whatever tears she had left

>Turning back around with a smile, she lets out a forced laugh.

>"Well, I'll be darned! It's gotten colder than ah ice cube out here, heck It's even making mah nose sniffle!"

>The normally warm smile she was giving you stung. You didn't like seeing her this way.

"Applejack..."

>"Heh, I guess I just lost track of th' time! Workin' will do that ta' ya!"

"Applejack."

>She continued rambling, almost desperate to get herself out of the situation she just found herself in.

>"W-what are ya doin' out here anyway, sugarcube? Isn't it 'bout t-"

"Applejack!"

>You practically yell, cutting her off.

"Were... you out during the rainstorm?"

>Now that you got a better look, her fur was wet and covered in small specks of dirt, and small twigs and leaves were stuck in her mane.

>She paused, looking at right at you, her smile slowly slipping and ears folding down.

>"I-I..."

>She looks down at the ground, almost in shame. Her reactions answers your question for you.

"Listen, if there's anything wrong... if I did anything to make you upset, you need to tell me. You're too important to me to lose."

>One of her ears flick up, as she quickly looks back up at you.

>"No, ya didn't do anythin' wrong, sugarcube! I ju-"

>"Wait... did ya say ah'm important to you?"

"Well, of course you are, silly."

>You say with a slight chuckle, while lighting rubbing her head. You're just relived to know she's not upset with you.

"I've been trying to talk to you about that, but that's proven to be nearly impossibly lately."

>Applejack's face suddenly flushes a light shade of pink.

>"I guess I've been kinda' silly, bein' too afraid to talk to you an' all. But th' truth is... I wanted nuthin' more than to see you too."

 

>Wait, she wanted to see... you?

>The warmth that filled your body after hearing those words was almost enough to make you forget about the dropping temperature Luna's night was bringing.

"Then how come you've been avoiding me?"

>You say, as you sit yourself down aside the earth pony.

>The ground was surprisingly dry, contrary to the water droplets still lingering on the leaves of the apple trees.

>"That's... I..."

>As her cheeks flush even a brighter shade of red, she scoots away nervously in the opposite direction.

>She goes to fidget with her hat, only to grab thin air forgetting it was no longer on her head.

>Was she always this goddamn cute?

>"Heh. Hooo Nelly, can't say I've ever been this flustered before."

>Spotting her hat beside her, she picks it up and starts fanning herself with it, knocking some of the leaves out of her mane in the process.

"Applejack, please?"

>You reach out, lightly running your hand through her mane to brush out the remaining debris.

>The sudden physical contact caused AJ to jump slightly, and release a quiet yelp.

>Her eyes seem to wonder off to nothing in particular in the distance as she gave a soft sigh.

>"I was worried..." She started, not giving any sort of protest to your grooming, "I'm usually so busy on th' farm that I don't pay much mind to things like this."

>Biting her lower lip, she moved herself closer towards you. Being the autistic fuck that you are, you found yourself too engrossed with straightening out her mane to realize she's now moved herself right next to you.

>"I mean, you're practically family to us. Apple Bloom has taken' a real liking to ya, Granny Smith won't stop talkin' about you, and even Big Mac approves of you being on th' farm. They all think so fondly of ya!"

>"I know how they feel 'bout you... a-and how I feel 'bout you, anon... and to me, you're more than just almost family."

>Frowning, she pauses, almost lost in though.

>How she feels about... you?

>Suddenly, you remember the scene when walked into when you first found AJ out here.

 

>"I should just tell 'em how I feel... My honest feelings!"

 

>As you feel your cheeks heat up, you pray to Celestia that it wasn't showing.

>W-was she referring to you? Is that what all of this was about?

>Wait, but she was also crying. You may not have much experience with love, but is that something someone would normally cry over?

>All thought's were suddenly cut off when Applejack leaned into your hand, resting her head in your palm.

>She closes her eyes, and lets out a small sigh.

"A-applejack..."